Rhetorical devices

What is rhetoric?

Rhetoric is the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the use of figures of speech and other compositional techniques.

What is a rhetorical device?

A rhetorical device is a technique or word arrangement that a speaker or writer uses to convey meaning, persuade, or evoke an emotional response from an audience.

Explain 'alliteration' as a rhetorical device.

Alliteration is the repetition of the same sound or letter at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words (e.g., 'Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers').

What is 'metaphor'?

A metaphor is a figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as' (e.g., 'The world is a stage').

What is 'simile'?

A simile is a figure of speech that compares two different things using 'like' or 'as' to make the description more vivid (e.g., 'He is as strong as an ox').

Define 'hyperbole'.

Hyperbole is an exaggerated statement or claim not meant to be taken literally, used for emphasis or effect (e.g., 'I'm so hungry I could eat a horse').

What is 'personification'?

Personification is the attribution of human characteristics or behaviors to animals or inanimate objects (e.g., 'The wind whispered through the trees').

What is 'rhetorical question'?

A rhetorical question is a question asked merely for effect with no expectation of a reply, often used to make a point (e.g., 'Are you serious?').

What is 'parallelism'?

Parallelism is the use of components in a sentence that are grammatically similar or identical in construction, sound, meaning, or meter (e.g., 'Like father, like son.' or 'She likes to hike, to swim, and to ride a bicycle.').

What is 'repetition'?

Repetition is the literary device that involves intentionally using a word or phrase multiple times in a text for emphasis or rhythm (e.g., 'Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.').

Define 'anaphora'.

Anaphora is a specific type of repetition where a word or phrase is repeated at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences (e.g., 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…').

What is 'charged language'?

Charged language (or loaded language) is words or phrases that have strong emotional connotations or associations, often used to sway an audience's opinion (e.g., calling a new tax a 'tyrannical burden' rather than a 'new financial regulation').

What is 'antithesis'?

Antithesis is a rhetorical device in which two opposite ideas are put together in a sentence to achieve a contrasting effect (e.g., 'Man proposes, God disposes.' or 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.').

What is 'allusion'?

An allusion is an indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary, or political significance (e.g., 'He was a real Romeo with the ladies.').

What is 'analogy'?

An analogy is a comparison between two different things, typically for the purpose of explanation or clarification, often more extended than a simile or metaphor (e.g., 'Life is like a box of chocolates—you never know what you're gonna get.').

What is 'ethos'?

Ethos is a rhetorical appeal that involves convincing an audience by the credibility or authority of the persuader (e.g., a doctor recommending a particular treatment).

What is 'logos'?

Logos is a rhetorical appeal that uses logic and reason to persuade an audience, often by presenting facts, statistics, or logical arguments (e.g., presenting scientific data to support a claim).

What is 'pathos'?

Pathos is a rhetorical appeal that evokes an emotional response in the audience to persuade them, often through stories, imagery, or passionate language (e.g., an advertisement showing starving children to solicit donations).